Grand Canyon Adventures

What could be better than white water rafting down the Grand Canyon for seven days?! Well actually, probably a lot of things. But this is definitely on my top 10 list of life experiences. Contact Grand Canyon Expeditions for the thrill of a lifetime!

The adventure starts on this rather non-discript beach. The handsome fellow waving is yours truly. The cowboy over my left shoulder is one of our guides.

The adventure starts on this rather non-discript beach. The handsome fellow waving is yours truly. The cowboy over my left shoulder is one of our guides.

Speaking of guides, these are our other three guides. What a way to make a living, spending the summer rafting up and down the Grand Canyon.

This is what the water looks like most of the time. It’s a slow, meandering trek downstream punctuated by over 200 rapids in 277 miles. We started each day at dawn with a hearty breakfast. It can get hot quickly, so it was nice to get an early start and head down river for a few hours. Our guides were constantly pointing out the geology and history of The Canyon. We’d stop for lunch then continue on down river. There were several side trips along the way with chances to explore. I don’t think we spent more than five hours on the river on any given day.

This is what the water looks like most of the time. It’s a slow, meandering trek downstream punctuated by over 200 rapids in 277 miles. We started each day at dawn with a hearty breakfast. It can get hot quickly, so it was nice to get an early start and head down river for a few hours. Our guides were constantly pointing out the geology and history of The Canyon. We’d stop for lunch then continue on down river. There were several side trips along the way with chances to explore. I don’t think we spent more than five hours on the river on any given day.

Oh yes, there were rapids to be sure. This one was called Lava Rapids, probably the most gnarly one we ran. Early in the season, when the river is higher and swifter from the snow melt, they have flipped these boats on occasion. I went in July when the river was lower. Mama didn’t raise no dummy! Check out the video on my YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/0kZmxYo01gc Below is a video from Hermit Rapid, another very gnarly run.

Oh yes, there were rapids to be sure. This one was called Lava Rapids, probably the most gnarly one we ran. Early in the season, when the river is higher and swifter from the snow melt, they have flipped these boats on occasion. I went in July when the river was lower. Mama didn’t raise no dummy! Check out the video on my YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/0kZmxYo01gc Below is a video from Hermit Rapid, another very gnarly run.

The water can get a bit rough. This one almost knocked me out of the boat.

The trip lasted eight days and we packed everything we needed, including 18 passengers and four river guides, in two pontoon boats. Our guides knew where the best spots were and usually tried to get in early. The river is always busy during the summer months and the good spots go quickly. Once we were beached for the day, the first thing we did was form a chain gang to unload the rafts. After unloading, the guides went about setting up the kitchen while we set up our individual camp sites. Then we were free to do whatever we wanted until called for dinner. Explore, take a bath in the river, get to know your boat mates, take pictures, read a book. I didn’t get a lot of pictures of the meals, which were all excellent. I’m not one to take pictures of my food in the first place, and after a day on the river we were all famished so pictures were an afterthought. Breakfast: coffee, juice, eggs, cereal, pancakes, sausage, bacon. Lunch: sandwiches, salad, wraps, juice. Dinner: steaks, Mexican one night, chicken, salad, coffee, juice.

The trip lasted eight days and we packed everything we needed, including 18 passengers and four river guides, in two pontoon boats. Our guides knew where the best spots were and usually tried to get in early. The river is always busy during the summer months and the good spots go quickly. Once we were beached for the day, the first thing we did was form a chain gang to unload the rafts. After unloading, the guides went about setting up the kitchen while we set up our individual camp sites. Then we were free to do whatever we wanted until called for dinner. Explore, take a bath in the river, get to know your boat mates, take pictures, read a book. I didn’t get a lot of pictures of the meals, which were all excellent. I’m not one to take pictures of my food in the first place, and after a day on the river we were all famished so pictures were an afterthought. Breakfast: coffee, juice, eggs, cereal, pancakes, sausage, bacon. Lunch: sandwiches, salad, wraps, juice. Dinner: steaks, Mexican one night, chicken, salad, coffee, juice.

Above and below: Tents, cots, sleeping bags are all provided. Most of the campsites were pretty large, plenty of room for the 18 of us, split into about six groups. There was myself and one other guy, Wayne, going solo. Everyone else was in family groups of four, five, and seven. Wayne was my brother from another mother. First thing he did was start teaching me Klingon. As far as Wayne is concerned Wrath of Khan is the best movie ever made. Most nights a cot and a bag were more than enough. There are no mosquitos in the Canyon. The tents came in handy, though, when it rained on a couple of nights.

Above and below: Tents, cots, sleeping bags are all provided. Most of the campsites were pretty large, plenty of room for the 18 of us, split into about six groups. There was myself and one other guy, Wayne, going solo. Everyone else was in family groups of four, five, and seven. Wayne was my brother from another mother. First thing he did was start teaching me Klingon. As far as Wayne is concerned Wrath of Khan is the best movie ever made. Most nights a cot and a bag were more than enough. There are no mosquitos in the Canyon. The tents came in handy, though, when it rained on a couple of nights.

Above and below: a side trip to the Little Colorado River, which flows into the Colorado River proper. The water is a beautiful turquoise, very shallow, and warm, as you can see.

Life was everywhere, both plant and animal, if you looked. The big fella above was relaxing while his two does foraged for food.

Life was everywhere, both plant and animal, if you looked. The big fella above was relaxing while his two does foraged for food.

The patterns in the rocks were just amazing!

The patterns in the rocks were just amazing!

Redwall Cavern is amazing. You approach it from a distance, and it doesn’t appear very large. But as you get closer it just gets bigger, and bigger, AND BIGGER. It really is huge and everyone on the river stops there. We spent a good two hours there that day.

Another side trip, up a canyon to a waterfall. It was cool because you could climb up into the rocks forming the fall.

At night we sat around the fire and got to know one another. One night the cowboy pulls a guitar out of… somewhere. Another night everyone got up and shared something about themselves that the others didn’t know. I shared how I had planned and canceled this trip four years in a row and then almost got left behind by the bus. My good buddy Wayne shared how he had recently lost his dad, and this trip had been so cathartic for him. He broke down in the middle a bit. Really had to feel for the guy.

At night we sat around the fire and got to know one another. One night the cowboy pulls a guitar out of… somewhere. Another night everyone got up and shared something about themselves that the others didn’t know. I shared how I had planned and canceled this trip four years in a row and then almost got left behind by the bus. My good buddy Wayne shared how he had recently lost his dad, and this trip had been so cathartic for him. He broke down in the middle a bit. Really had to feel for the guy.

Towards the end we entered the desert. The river gets slower and wider, and it is warm to hot. One way to keep cool is diving off of these cliffs, about twenty or thirty feet up. Even with my fear of heights I worked up the courage to do it. That’s me above, almost drowning.

Towards the end we entered the desert. The river gets slower and wider, and it is warm to hot. One way to keep cool is diving off of these cliffs, about twenty or thirty feet up. Even with my fear of heights I worked up the courage to do it. That’s me above, almost drowning.

Everything comes to an end eventually. As we approach the end of the Canyon, the water gets very shallow and slow moving, and the air becomes uncomfortably hot. Nobody really enjoys that part of the trip, so we transfer to a speed boat for the last twenty-five miles. This is where we say good-by to our guides, who have so patiently babysat the lot of us. We finish the trip in a little over an hour rather than half a day under the blazing sun. You should read the post on why I had to reschedule the trip four times. And if this is something you want to do then I’ll be posting the nuts and bolts of the trip, so you know what to expect. TO BE CONTINUED….

Everything comes to an end eventually. As we approach the end of the Canyon, the water gets very shallow and slow moving, and the air becomes uncomfortably hot. Nobody really enjoys that part of the trip, so we transfer to a speed boat for the last twenty-five miles. This is where we say good-by to our guides, who have so patiently babysat the lot of us. We finish the trip in a little over an hour rather than half a day under the blazing sun. You should read the post on why I had to reschedule the trip four times. And if this is something you want to do then I’ll be posting the nuts and bolts of the trip, so you know what to expect. TO BE CONTINUED….